Carolina Dental Center - Main Nav

Sleep Apnea Must Not be Taken Lightly

Breathing lapses during sleep are caused by a medical condition that affects mental and physical alertness. This condition is known as sleep apnea. Anyone who suffers from this condition repeatedly stops breathing for seconds or minutes at a time while sleeping. This should not be taken lightly even if this disorder isn’t at all life threatening. When a person stops breathing, the brain and body receive less oxygen than with regular healthy breathing.

People suffering from sleep apnea often don’t know that they suffer from it. Thus, the disorder is left undiagnosed and untreated for years, with the patient often wondering the cause of sleep apnea symptoms like daytime sleepiness, fatigue, and depression among others. More serious symptoms include stroke, heart diseases like heart failure, and high blood pressure, due to the fact that the body receives less oxygen. Sleep apnea, therefore, is a more serious condition than it seems. It manifests in different forms, affecting your quality of life. One’s true potential is limited with sleep apnea because the brain and body are not able to function at their best.

If sleep apnea is often undiagnosed, how do I know if I have this disorder?

There are people who are considered as high risk individuals for sleep apnea.

If you are male, obese, and over the age of 40

If you snore during sleep

If your family has a history of sleep apnea

If you have nasal or throat obstruction such as sinus problems, large tonsils, a small jawbone, or a large tongue among others

If your neck is disproportionately large

How can sleep apnea be treated?

With the use of a simple mouth appliance, your dentist can help you treat sleep apnea. We, at Carolina Dental Center, offer a mouth appliance that is very similar to a mouthguard. This appliance clears the pathway for air, so you’re able to receive the right amount of oxygen during sleep. This appliance is custom fitted for your mouth, so the device fits snugly while you sleep. Wearing this appliance will not only address sleep apnea but also snoring and teeth grinding.

How does this mouth appliance prevent sleep apnea?

A mouth appliance prevents the obstruction of airflow. When your teeth start to close in and bite on the device, reflex action signals you to open your mouth. The pathway is cleared, and you get proper intake of oxygen. A mouth appliance is non-invasive and can be a very effective form of treatment. Many patients are able to get a good night’s rest with our mouth appliance, eliminating sleep apnea for good.

Don’t worry; sleep apnea is a treatable condition

Many of our patients have found relief from sleep apnea with the use of a simple mouth appliance. Sleep apnea may have affected your quality of life, but it is a treatable condition. We, at Carolina Dental Center, can help you. Call us at (843) 357-2122 for the treatment of sleep apnea in Murrells Inlet, SC!